(NOTE: there's a fun lil' exercise included at the tail end)
In classes or Discovery Sessions many of you have experience with me calling out 'things' that I perceive may cause a reaction from either student: the human or the dog. See, we ALL have triggers - things that we see, hear, feel that provoke a reaction. As a dog guardian and trainer, I have 20+ years of practice in the art of Environmental Awareness. Some would say I've got a heckuva lot of insight into 'things' that may be triggering. So, I like to bring awareness to those 'things' that m-a-y provoke a reaction...and see what happens when we're out working with our dogs.
In a recent Urban Manners class, we were chatting about 'things' that trigger our dogs. We were on a decently-trafficked corner, tucked in a quieter spot. One of the students was bent over, giving her dog some water. Over her shoulder, I could see several approaching triggers: a runner, several cars, a small (kind of yelly) dog with its human, and a young couple with a stroller. ALL were potential triggers for my dog friend. Add to that, we were 30+ minutes into class, with a teenaged dog, who was relatively new to all things Urban.*
So, yes, I let the human student know what was happening, as I helped her doggo out a little with some Pez dispenser snacks while she adjusted her center of gravity. The goal is to help keep our dogs comfortable, able to engage with their human/s, and as reaction-free as possible. We certainly want to avoid distress (though a little eustress can often build resiliency)! My bouncy teenaged friend managed to navigate all the triggers, though there was some interest in the yelly little dog. Yes, we walked back to cars shortly after!
Knowing Environmental Awareness is a muscle that needs flexing and strengthening, here is the homework I gave my student...and one I encourage you try. It takes 2-5 minutes (not even):
- Go to a park, a downtown corner, or somewhere you do/would like to go with your dog.
- Get comfy and break out a timer.
- Set timer for 2-5 minutes.
- Using a notebook or a note-taking app on your phone, list the 'things' you see that you or your dog would notice and/or be triggered by.
How many items on your list? Post here and let us know!
What are potential triggers?
Bicycles Skateboards Strollers Children Runners Walkers
Other dogs Motorcycles Cars Trucks Horns Wheelchairs
Beards Sunglasses Hats Men Women Canes
Stairs Shopping Cart Yelling Laughing Barking Singing Metal Grates Construction Roll-up door Holiday decor Crutches Uniforms Squirrel Small rodent Rabbit Birds
What else???
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